From Hendrix to Van Halen… Guitarists are the ultimate musicians to strive towards.
The appearance, the lifestyle, the talent and the ease with which the play. All things which inspire many to pick up a guitar in the first place.
But the beginning is a far cry from the blues of B.B. KING.
There are many things to consider before embarking on this musical quest. We’ve listed some of the most crucial below…
#1 – Getting the right size Guitar is an important place to start, especially for a child. If your guitar is too big your muscles will already be overworked just from stretching the arm over the guitar. This will make it considerably more difficult to practise playing chords.
#2 – Tuning your Guitar before you begin is just good sense, particularly for beginners. Playing on an out of tune guitar isn’t exactly motivating as you’re unlikely to recognise any improvements. Electronic tuners are inexpensive to buy, although it is a good idea to train your ear for perfect pitch if possible.
#3 – Like anything that involves exercising muscles, warming up is necessary. All guitarists do this, professionals included. Ask your tutor to run through some simple exercises you can practise at home or find some online.
#4 – It’s always beneficial to have professional lessons when learning to play the Guitar. But practicing ONLY in your lesson will make for extremely slow progress. For best results it is ideal to practise at home for at least 30 minutes per day.
#5 – Learning Guitar Theory is often considered the boring part… but it would be a mistake to avoid it. Learning your theory will teach you to understand what you’re playing and hearing. You will progress at a faster pace and also have the ability to write your own Music.
#6 – Every guitar player is guilty of wanting to play the songs they love the most. But practising the same songs repeatedly and avoiding fresh material, will stall the learning process. It is good practise to try your hand at playing new songs every couple of weeks. It might be helpful to keep track of your progress using a log. Ask your tutor to provide one of download a template for free online.
#7 – Practise playing songs at a slow pace. Playing too fast too soon will only lead to sloppy form.
#8 – Learning to play any instrument can be very frustrating, but it is also incredibly rewarding. You will need an abundance of patience. Keep in mind that is never a quick process. Don’t expect miracles… but progress WILL come with persistence.
#9 – For young beginners especially, incorporating a reward into the practise can be encouraging and relieve any build up of frustration. Speak to your tutor about designating 5-10 minutes of the lesson to playing an electric guitar, freestyling and generally blowing off a bit of steam.
For more advice on taking your first steps towards playing the Guitar contact The Music Rooms for a chat.